2018 BMW M550i xDrive

BMW has been criticized quite a bit in the past few years because they seemed to have lost their direction. While previously all BMW cars were used as benchmarks in the executive sedan world, their latest models have not been the best. The 3 Series was numb and not that fast, the 5 Series was a bit too harsh while the 7 Series was not as comfortable as the competition. Well, it now seems that this is about to change. Only a few weeks back the all new 5 Series G30 has been released and it comes with a lot of improvements over the older models.

2018 BMW M550i xDrive detail

The most anticipated trim level for the new car is the 2018 BMW M550i xDrive which is expected to remain the new top end model until the new M5 will be released. The car gets a new engine, a lot of changes under the skin as well as a brand new platform.

The 5 Series is now based on BMW’s OKL rear wheel drive chassis which is the same that can be found under the 7 Series. This is mostly made out of aluminum and some high strength steel with carbon fiber inserts.The end result is that the new 5 Series is with up to 220 pounds lighter than the older model, more rigid as well as better to drive.

The running gear

The previous model has been criticized for being too harsh with its passengers. It seems that the new car, as well as the 2018 BMW M550i xDrive, are more compliant as well as more comfortable.

This has been achieved by added a new electronic suspension system which should better anticipate the road ahead.

The design

There is nothing all that striking about the new M550i. The car still looks like a BMW but there are some subtle improvements which stand out. For starters, the front end is now more similar to the new 7 Series with the wider headlights and the larger kidney grille.

The wheels, on the M550i, perfectly fit the wheel arches and come with a brand new design as well. On the sides we can see similar inserts to those found on the 7 Series which actually hide side air vents.

These improve the airflow around the car and make it even faster and less noisy at high speed. The back on the other hand is similar to the older model but with a cleaner look which better fits the new car.

Its cabin is a lot better in every way as well. Instead of offering a rather boxy look, there are real curves and a lot of interesting inserts around the cabin which give it a much cleaner look. The center stack is more compact while the large ultra-wide screen now pops out from the dashboard for a very interesting design.

Under the hood

The 2018 BMW M550i xDrive makes use of a 4.4 liter twin-turbocharged V8 petrol engine. This might seem similar to the older M5 at a first glance. However, it only makes 456 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque which is available from just 1,800 rpm.

This output is lower than that of the upcoming E55 and lower than that of the previous M5. Despite that, the car can hit 60 MPH from a standing start in just 4 seconds flat. It is currently limited to 155 MPH, a limit which will likely be removed by a performance package.

The rather interesting performance figures are mostly thanks to its new transmission. The car uses a new 8 speed ZF automatic which is coupled to a rear-biased all wheel drive system. This should allow the new M550i to outrun the older M5 in pretty much any scenario while being a lot more efficient and more comfortable as well.